joints

• a joint is the site at which two or more bones come together (articulate)
• fibrous or fixed joints have no movement
• fibrous joints are held in place by fibrous connective tissue and are very difficult to damage
• fibrous joints are located in the structure of the skull and between teeth and jaw
• cartilaginous or slightly moveable joints provide slight movement
• cartilaginous joints are held in place by cartilage
• cartilaginous joints are located at the junction of the two pelvic bones, between adjacent vertebrae and between the ribs and sternum
• synovial or feely moveable joints can freely move. they are only limited by ligaments, muscles, tendons and adjoining bones
• synovial joints are located in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers, hip, knee, ankle, toes
• Ball-and-socket joint consists of a spherical head fitting into cup-like cavity of another bone. it provides 360 movement
• example of ball-and-socket joint :

  Head of humerus and depression of scapula

  Head of femur and pelvis
• Hing joints consists of a convex surface that fits into concave surface. it allows for movement in one plane only
• examples of hinge joint :

  Elbow and knee

  Ankle 

  Between bones of fingers and toes
• Pivot joint consists of a rounded, pointed or conical end articulates with a ring which is made from part bone and part ligament. it allows for rotation
• examples of pivot joints :

  Between first and second vertebra (allows head to rotate)

  Radius and ulna (allows hand to rotate)
• gliding joints allows for movement in any direction in a side-to-side or back-and-forth motion. its movement is only restricted by ligaments or bony processes surrounding the joint
• example of gliding joint :

  Between carpal bones, tarsal bones

  Between sternum and clavicle, scapula and clavicle
• saddle joint consists of both bones being concave in on direction and convex in the other(saddle shape). it allows for both side-to-side and back-and-firth motion
• example of saddle joint :

  where thumb joins to the palm of the hand
• Condyloid (ellipsoid) joint consists of a slightly convex bone fitting into a slightly concave depression. it allows for up-and-down and side-to-side motion
• examples of condyloid (ellipsoid) joint :

  Radius and carpal bone

  Metacarpal bones and phalanges of fingers 

  Metatarsal bones and phalanges of toes
• types of synovial joints

  categorised by the type of movement

  A) ball-and-socket

  B) hinge

  C) pivot

  D) gliding

  E) saddle

  F) condyloid